The Irish standard., 1887-07-09
SHAMROCKS FROM ERIN
PARTING SCENES IN IRELAND.
BY NJ. F. o'DoNoeHUE, LIB.
s{Ieaicated to the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Mp

hIN'-SOSAA0A~s ~->>'-~'
e Ei]oedicated to the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone NJ.
AS standing at the station by.
TO watch the coming train,
A parting scene there met my eye,
Which brought me back again
To many q hard, heart-rending scene,
Which my yontf's vision saw,
In that dear Isle Of Emerald Green
Where Power is known as Law.
Three madens fresh and young and fair,
With eyes like the gaelic,
And ways-those winning ways-that snare
The heart with powerful spell,
We're going off to regions where
They read and write and spell,
And many charm OF lovers rare
Maids unto maidens tell
And as ! saw the tender grief
OF parent, lover, friend.
The flowing tear that brought relief,
r p,;.yed that God would send
AS guides his scraphim -in-chief
Unto their journeys end.
But when alone, my mind gave way
TO thoughts Of rlourDtul cast;
And many d sald'ning rustic lay,
That mingled with the past,
Game crowding on NY aching brain,
Until my vision clear
Brought out in bold relief again
Those partings sad and drear,
To which, a helpless witness,
In youth had often been;
And as the years roll tireless by.
Repeated III each scene.
+ saw the husband part the wife
Upon the iiilow's brim:
The pier all round was full Of life,
But she saw none but him
Him Who was father OF her child,
There pillow'd ON her breast;
And now the ocean, wide and wild,
Would bear him to the West.
But that far West ne never saw;
A thousand fathoms down,
Where huge sharks stare with gaping Jaw,
And nameless monsters froWn:
Down in the cayerns OF the deep
His bones lie whitening ever:
And she may vail and weep and weep
She'll never see hin--neyer.
Thor who woulcst fathom her ccep grief,
Her bitterness Of woe,
Go seek a worlds cold relief
Thou haartlrss ts1rant, 60
And when it's bollowness of heart.
It's badness of resource.
Has dawnd upon your mind, in part,
Gro. and repeat your course.
/ saw the father part his son.
His last, his dearest boy
Three others wealth and fame had won,
Where tyrants can't destroy
The nohlest impulse Of the soul
The thirst for Liberty;
The pride Divine that scorns control.
They went, why should not he?
Bot that poor Father. old and gray,
He to,ttered to the grave;
Nor could their wealth and fame allay
The longing Nature gave
TO gaze once more upon those forms,
Which gives to life its rest
He how'd HIM gently to ear5h's storms.
His home be with tine blest,
And those fond fons, whatever cline,
Wbera'er their footsteps roam,
The; II ne'er forget Hhe happy time
They spent in childhools home.
No never can life choicest prize
Their Joys of youth renew
They'll never meet again those eyes,
So tender and SO true,
That watcb'd their course in nant,oods MON
Advised, repressed, reproved;
But e'en reproof was mildly borne
They knew how well he loved.
[ saw the mother lead her child
Adown the paths of time,
Her steps with tenderest hopes beguiled
Until she reached her prime.
7 saw the child the mother leave,
Eoth said twas for The best;
Bet how that mothers heart cid srieve,
As one fond kiss she pressa
On those fond lips, once all her own,
But now claimed by another;
Goods grace i,e round the daughter thrown,
The Virgin keep the snother.l
Both reel beneath the bitter puns
J'nht s1lits.s their hearts amain:
Unit! Jehova'5 clarion clans
They neer shall meet again.
] saw lover stand beside
~
To burning questions he replied
''If spared ON earth we'll meet.
III cross the sea to lands more free,
70 countries young and fair;
And when I've earned a home for thee,
I'll take my sweetheart there"
He tore him from her circling arms
Earth s beauties fade away
But why this CAUSE for fresl, alarms,
Whence that pale cheek S decay?
Alas how frail the human heart
In southern climes twas said,
O'ercome by Cupid's fercest dart,
He wooel and won and wed.
And she, shut out from, that one light
Which was her life and pride.
Nithere1l as s. stalk before the blight,
And. broker-hearied. died.
All these saw and many more,
Through sorrows misty light;
And asked with dreary heart and sore:
MY God, is all this right?
Why should the innocent and true.
The faithless and the good,
BE made to roam the world through.
In this mere search for food,
When Plenty might be made to smile
In their own fruitful wales.
If only rescued from the vile
Which Foreign rule entails?
VI H.. l.